Transmutate - the Novelization
by NefertariHime
Summary: Well, the title says it all, no? :) And it actually shows scene changes now! FanFiction.net can be so annoying... :p


stuff _Now, for all those mean people out there (you know who you are!) who don't like Transmutate, well, tough! It happens to be my favourite ep, along with Bad Spark and Deep Metal. Gee, can you guess who my favourite character is, then...? *Snicker*   
Anywho, I, as in the author, describes Transmutate as female, while the characters still call her 'it'. Deal with it!   
Now, read. I command you! :o)_

**Transmutate**   
_A BW Fan Novelization_

In many ways, Megatron the Second could not be counted as one of the masses. Instead of, as the rest of his Predacon brethren, submitting to the will of the Maximals, he'd stolen the Golden Disk and run off in order to restore the Decepticon Empire, under the Predacon banner. In the honour, supposedly, of his namesake, Lord Megatron, the Slag-Maker. The Predacon captain also differed from the masses in the fact that his mind did indeed seem created for the purpose of weaving intricate webs of deception; always a dozen steps ahead of his crew, as was necessary to stay alive. 

In other ways, the purple Predacon was just a common Cybetronian, with a brilliant, if slightly megalomaniacal, mind and a dream for the restoration of grandeur past. As it was, he was also _completely_ normal in the more mundane actions; such as re-energising, which was exactly what he was doing, slumped on his throne, snoring, bathed periodically in a white, pulsating light. Wires plugged into his arm ran from a hook-up, feeding him energon at a steady pace. By his other arm, resting conveniently on its armrest, was a tiny platform, whereupon stood a strange contraption. 

Well, no, the construct was not strange in itself. It was the pulsing light source placed within, resting gently on a bed of energon spikes, that was truly strange - for it seemed to be the core of a spark; a spark that, against all reason or logic, still seemed to function. 

Megatron coughed briefly and shifted, optics flickering momentarily before shutting off again. 

Behind the throne the locks of the door there slid away, disappearing into the wall, and it opened just a bit. Seconds later, massive claws found their way into that little space and forced the door apart. As they parted, a metallic crab scuttled out, as silent as possible, devotedly fixated upon one thing: the box on the table and, more importantly, the spark within. _**My** spark, soon to be reunited with its owner..._ He reached out a giant, purple claw, inching closer as to not awaken the Predacon on the throne. _Careful... careful..._ He opened his claw, ready to gently grasp the box. 

_Slam!_ A hand fell upon the spark box with just enough consideration not to squeeze it. The throne spinning to face the crab, Megatron, fully awake and alert, glared down at Rampage. "Did you really think to catch me so unaware?" he asked scathingly. "I think you need a reminder. Yees..." Lifting the box up in front of his face, he calmly observed the spark within as he compressed it. 

Rampage bit back several undignified sounds as he staggered in pain. "You've," he gasped, waving his claws till Megatron eased the pressure slightly, "made you point!" The pain stopped. He panted tiredly, backing away and lowering his claws. 

Megatron leant forward, staring the crustacean in the optic closest to him. "Never forget who holds the essence of your spark! And thus is your master," he snapped. 

The giant Predacon's mandibles rubbed against each other in frustrated rage. "_That_," he snarled hatefully, "I promise you...!" 

~~*~~

The rumble started low, almost too low to be heard, but as it rose in intensity, the ground itself shook with the force. Three startled crows took off as the tree beneath them shuddered, along with the peak upon which it grew. A couple of rocks tore loose and tumbled to the cracked ground below, ignored by the three creatures also occupying it. 

A metallic rat crouched lower to the ground, nervously declaring, "Man, there's a whole lot a' shakin' goin' on around here!" Curling up a front paw, he knocked lightly on the scorched dirt to illustrate his point. 

The strange creature by his side, apparently a wolf with wings and bird claws, responded, "It seems unlikely Megatron would build a jamming station in such an... unstable region." 

The rumbling subsided, and Rattrap straightened up, as much as a rat can, from his crouch. "Ya mean, it's no _fault_ a' his!" He burst out laughing, but quickly noticed that he was the only one to do so. Silverbolt, ears perked up and wings drooping, stared at him with a quizzical expression. Rattrap attempted, "Eheh, get it? Fault...? _Earthquake_...?! Eh, hello?" 

"Ah!" Silverbolt exclaimed. "I-I see. Hah hah! Most amusing," he continued, utterly unconvincing. 

Which was the same conclusion Rattrap made, waving his paw over his head in the classical gesture. "Sheesh!" 

~~*~~

A gentle, female voice cut off Megatron's reprimand of the transmetal crab. "Maximal units detected in grid Deltron, co-ordinates eight, three, six." 

"They're after my new jamming station," Megatron proclaimed. Spinning his throne back to face Rampage, he smoothly said, "Ah, I believe we can put your delightful rage to good use...!" 

Rampage growled, shivering with withheld anger, as he accepted his "master's" orders. 

~~*~~

Silverbolt pointed towards the towering mounts of sand rock. "I'll scout those peaks. Cheetor," he looked at the third member of their party, the metallic feline, "perhaps you and Rattrap can cover those crevices." 

Cheetor nodded determinedly, boosting up his jets. "We're on it, Bird-dog." 

As the two flyers took off, speeding off in separate directions, Rattrap transformed to vehicle mode, lowering his wheels and curling up his tail, and raced off after Cheetor. "Hey! Wait u-u-u-up!" 

The rumbling started again. 

~~*~~

"More tremors. And they're building in intensity," Optimus Primal concluded, turning away from the Axalon's screens and looking at Rhinox, his long time friend and local miracle worker. 

"Our team's close to the epicentre," the green Maximal told him. "And with Megatron jamming us..." He faded off. 

"I'm going after them," Optimus declared, pointing to himself. "I'm not in the mood to lose any_more_ friends!" The choked bitterness was tangible. Dinobot's death still rested like a shadow over all the Maximals. 

~~*~~

The ground around him splitting, Rattrap came to a skidding halt. Soon he found himself on a shuddering peak, crumbling away beneath him. 

Above him, Cheetor spotted the peril and swooped down, declaring, "Air Cheetor, to the rescue!" 

Transforming back to beast mode, to get a better grip on what was left of the ground, Rattrap backed away from the continuously closing edge. As the last bit of solid ground disappeared beneath him, he had no choice but to jump, crying out in shocked terror, as the ragged ground came closer by the second. Mere moments before hitting the sharp stakes of rock, he felt a grip around his tail, and he was lifted to safety by Cheetor. 

Climbing steadily at first, the feline could only gasp and writhe as every system in his body, as well as Rattrap's, went suddenly and completely haywire. 

They crashed onto the, luckily, safe ground. Inches before them, the earth split, and a massive cliff rose up above them, covering them in rocks and dirt. Neither could do much more than covering his head as the world seemed to come down around their ears. Soon, they were completely buried in rocks, and therefore did not see the crackling stasis pod, perched precariously above their heads, on the edge of the cliff. 

~~*~~

"Priority alert!" Megatron leant closer to the screen and watched as the computer zoomed in on a little, red dot. "Seismic activity has uncovered stasis pod, in grid Deltron, co-ordinates nine, one seven." 

"Ah," Megatron mused slowly. "A stasis pod...!" Opening a communications channel, he snapped, "Megatron to Inferno!" 

The crazed Predacon stopped in mid-air, pausing his jets. "Yes, Royalty?" 

"Proceed to co-ordinates nine, one, seven. There's a stasis pod there, and I want it!" 

"Then," Inferno promised hotly, "you will have it; for the glory of the Colony!" He saluted sharply. Casting a quick glance down at Rampage in tank mode, trundling along below, the ant cackled and took off. 

Rampage looked after him, half curious, half annoyed. "Where is that bug going?" he murmured to himself. Turning around, he trundled after Inferno, as placidly as could be expected of him. 

~~*~~

High above the desert, Silverbolt soared, surveying the damage done by the tremor. He activated his com-link. "Cheetor, Rattrap. Are you all right?" A beep and a short burst of static responded. "Come in!" Same result. Then he spotted something racing ahead, underneath him. He zoomed in to discover, "Inferno - and he's heading right towards my comrades!" Banking sharply, the winged canine dived down after the Predacon. 

~~*~~

Inferno landed next to the pod, casting a quick look around. He then turned attention back to the metallic retainer. "I will retrieve it before the others come," he proclaimed to no one in particular, grapping a hold of the pod. "Then I will stand again at the Royalty's side!" Putting all his power to use, he managed to drag the pod to safer ground. 

He was, however, forced to drop it with a startled, "Ooh!" as it declared, voice twisted into strange accents, "DNA scan... malfunction! Data tracks... off-line! Cancel - cancel!" 

"Something is happening!" the ant gasped, alarmed. Activating his com-link, he managed, "Inferno to Megatron!" 

"Back off, villain!" Inferno's head snapped up to see Silverbolt perched on one of the sand rock peaks. The Maximal continued. "Megatron will not twist this innocent to his dark designs; I will not allow it!" 

"Ha!" the ant scoffed, whipping out his flame-thrower. "_You_ will be too busy bu-u-urning to prevent it!" 

Silverbolt took off, heading straight for the insect. Shocked, Inferno gasped and ducked, only to be grapped by the wolf and lifted into the air. 

Writhing in his grip, Inferno snarled, "This won't save you, fuzor!" 

"And this won't hurt you, Predacon," Silverbolt countered. "Much!" He released said Predacon, and the momentum sent Inferno crashing into a cliff face, well out of commission for the moment. 

Back at the shuddering pod, the ground rumbled once more. Though this time, it was the result of Rampage arriving, not the earth itself. 

The titan transformed and looked at the pod, the slightest bit awed. "What are you? Another like me, perhaps?" he asked, voice strangely sad. He gently caressed the metal surface, only to be shocked by the energy. He drew his hand back, but did not move away. 

"Stand away, monster!" Silverbolt landed, transforming as he did so, standing off against the much larger transformer, heroically. 

"Graah! Fire," Rampage challenged, "and you'll destroy what you seek to save." Silverbolt hesitantly stood down. Rampage turned his attention back to the pod, or more precisely, the creature within. 

"Overload. Overload!" the pod's computer warned. "Deconstruction imminent!" 

"Yes, yes! I _feel_ your pain, your desperation!" the crab exclaimed eagerly. "Your spark is _powerful_...! Fight your way free! _Fight!_" 

A strange sound, like a scream from another world, emanated from the container. Purple waves of energy rippled out from the pod, causing it to glow so brightly as to make the two Cybertronians near it cover their optics. The screaming building to a crescendo, the pod exploded, making Rampage stagger, and blowing the smaller Silverbolt clean off the cliff. 

The fuzor landed with a "Hoof!" in a whirl of feathers. Shaking his head, he looked up. _No! I cannot allow that beast to get his claws on a poor, innocent life!_ Fighting to his knees, he glanced briefly at the rock pile where Rattrap had fought loose. 

"What in the name of my great aunt Arcee is goin' on here?!" the rat demanded. 

"A stasis pod," Silverbolt explained, panting. "We must not let Rampage have the new Maximal! _Hurry!_" Transforming to beast mode, he shot into the air, speeding to the top of the cliff. 

Cheetor, too, broke loose of the rock. "Let's hit it!" Boosting his jets, he grapped hold once more of Rattrap's tail. 

The smaller Maximal, however, scrappled for purchase on the ground. "'Ey! _Hey! He-e-e-e-ey!_" His efforts were useless, and he was carried into the air. "Let me down, ya chrome hairball!" he snapped up at the transmetal cheetah. 

Grinning as much as was possible for a feline, Cheetor answered slyly, "Whatever you say..." And he let go. 

Rattrap crashed to the ground, and lay for a few moments, dazed, before gathering himself and shaking a curled up paw at the feline. "Ve-e-ery funny! Huh!" He turned, looking for the protoform. "Now, where's this..." He cut off with a gasp, optics widening and jaw dropping. 

The creature before them was unlike any they'd ever seen. Not one ounce of logic had been built into its strange form, with the knees on it legs turned in opposite directions, and a gun barrel instead of lower arm and hand on its right arm. Something in its strange, serene features, moving up and down on the rail on its round torso, seemed to suggest feminine qualities. Its, no, her red optics blinked in childish curiosity as she surveyed this strange, new world. 

Taking a step forward, Rampage looked upon her, green optics wide. "Magnificent," he breathed. _Chaos walks..._

"Man, I am tellin' ya," Rattrap murmured tightly, "the things comin' outta these pods is just gettin' weirder an' weirder!" 

Silverbolt flicked his wings, briefly turning his attention from the protoform to Rattrap. "We should welcome what is different; not fear it." 

"Well, thank you, Mister Sunshine," the rodent snapped sarcastically. "But this ain't exactly a tea party we've got breakin' out here." He transformed, quickly followed by Silverbolt and Cheetor. 

"They are your enemies," Rampage told the creature, gesturing to the Maximals. "Join with me; and destroy them." 

"He lies!" Silverbolt interjected, stepping closer. "The Predacons will only use you," he reached out a hand to her, "_we_ extend the hand of friendship." 

She tilted her head and tentatively smiled at the fuzor. Slightly shocked, he smiled back, seeing something in the serene optics. _What an amazing creature; so gentle, so kind. A mere child, at best. I will not let Rampage harm it!_

"That creature is the property of the Royalty!" Silverbolt spun with a gasp, seeing Inferno just in time to dive out of the way as a napalm bomb was fired. However, this meant the bomb was heading for the new life. Rampage roared in fearful anger, hurrying forward, but had no chance of stopping the bomb as it hit the creature. Shocked and angry, she opened her mouth wide, purple energy pulsing around her as she let loose another otherworldly scream. 

"What...?" Silverbolt gasped, optics widening in recognition of the scream. 

Inferno quickly ducked under cover, but the four other transformers were assaulted by the sonic attack, shivering and shrieking. As the sound disappeared, only Rampage was able to stand. 

"Transmutate," he said softly, holding up his hands, "do not speak. None shall hurt you now. Come with me; come." He gestured towards a descend from the newly formed cliff, gently taking hold of the elbow of her gun arm. "I will protect you," he promised. "I am your friend - your only friend." They disappeared among the surrounding spires of rock. 

Silverbolt shook his head, fighting to think clearly. "We must... save it," he said stubbornly. 

"Save _it_?!" Rattrap gasped. "Oh, get real, 'Bolt! We're lucky to be in one piece!" 

The sound of jets made them all look up, towards the blue, metallic gorilla soaring closer. "Oh, Optimus! Thank the Matrix...!" Silverbolt said gratefully. 

~~*~~

In a deep gorge, Transmutate stood still, looking curiously at Rampage as he examined her. 

"Hmm, partially transmetal," the crab mused. "But, otherwise mutant form." Straightening up, he seemed to smile widely. "A transmutate!" He looked to her face, and his triumphant expression softened considerably. "Do you have a name, my twisted friend?" he asked, his voice curiously warm. 

She seemed to consider his question, lowering her head. But a sound caught her attention, and she looked up sharply as Inferno settled on the ground. 

"Stand aside!" he shouted. "_I_ will bring this prize to the Royalty." He saluted. 

"Gwu!" Rampage snarled. "Have I told you how much I like ant? Huh? Especially fried in a subtle blend of mech-fluid and grated gears...?" 

Inferno drew his gun, pointing it at the larger Predacon. Rampage countered by pulling his missile launcher, the appropriate barrel clicking into place. 

"Stand down!" The voice reverberated on the walls of the gorge. Inferno instantly lowered his gun, while Rampage glared before hesitantly lowering his launcher. A large hologram of Megatron's head appeared out of nowhere, holographic receivers swirling about it. "I will speak with this newcomer." The head moved closer to the fascinated Transmutate. "Hmm, it has power," Megatron mused, "but does it have a brain? You!" Transmutate started. "What is your name?" 

Glancing briefly towards Rampage, she uncertainly answered, "Trans... mu... tate." 

"Transmutate? An ugly name for an ugly creature," Megatron murmured idly. "I wonder what it could possibly turn into... Let's see, shall we?" The head turned towards the ant Predacon. "Inferno, transform!" 

"As you command," Inferno immediately responded. "Beast mode!" Body parts shifting, appearing and disappearing, Inferno quickly transformed into a giant fire ant. 

"Now _you_ do it," Megatron snapped at Transmutate. "I command you!" 

She hesitantly tried, "Beast... mode...?" Glancing down herself, she blinked, wondering when something would happen like it had with the ant. Nothing did. 

Megatron snorted contemptuously. 

"Try," Rampage urged desperately. Transmutate shivered with the effort. "You _must_ do this!" the transmetal crustacean pleaded. 

"Beast mode!" Transmutate said forcefully. Once again she shuddered, but the only thing that happened was a gear breaking loose and falling to the ground. 

"It cannot even transform...!" Megatron exclaimed, disgusted and disbelieving at once. "This thing is useless; get rid of it!" 

_"No!"_ Rampage cried. 

"My," Megatron said slyly, giving Rampage a cold look, before the image of his head was replaced with one of his hand - holding the spark box. "What a short memory we have..." And he squeezed. 

Rampage fell to his knees, but the thought of Transmutate's fate enabled him to force out, "Wait..." The pain merely increased. _Can't... can't let him harm it. I won't lose it!_ "It's hasty to... ungh, waste so much power, hengh! Give it a chance to... prove itself." The pain finally subsided, and Rampage managed to catch himself with his arms as Megatron's face reappeared in the holographic sphere. 

"Very well," he conceded. "_One_ chance." Considering, a small smile spread on his face. "Have it bring me the heads of the Maximals, invading our territory. But if it fails," he snapped, glaring slightly at Rampage's hopeful expression, "destroy it!" 

Transmutate sadly lowered her head. 

~~*~~

Back at the site of Transmutate's birth, Optimus surveyed the debris of the exploded pod. Sighing, he turned to the two other transmetals present. "Rattrap, you and Cheetor return to base and fill Rhinox in." Rattrap nodded curtly. "Silverbolt and I will track this new life." He turned to the fuzor. "If you're up to it...?" 

"Absolutely," Silverbolt immediately answered; then bowed slightly. "And... thank you." Ignored, Cheetor and Rattrap took off for the Axalon. 

Optimus transformed to beast mode, hovering a few feet over the cracked earth, dust swirling around. "We'll cover more ground if we split up. But stay in touch." 

Silverbolt, too, transformed into beast mode and nodded. "Understood." 

~~*~~

Elsewhere, two Predacons and a strange creature dubbed Transmutate still wandered in the large gorge, Inferno hovering behind the two others, looking from bot to bot. 

"We will serve - for now," Rampage told Transmutate quietly, making sure the loyal ant behind them did not hear. "But soon, we will find a way to destroy our oppressors. Together!" 

Suddenly, Inferno flew in between them, snarling, "Speak up! I won't have you freaks plotting behind the Royalty's back!" 

Voice almost jovial, Rampage claimed, "I was explaining what it means to be a Predacon! Deceit; treachery--" he sneered at Inferno, "--mindless loyalty." 

Oblivious, Inferno saluted. "Loyalty comes first!" Lowering his arm, he looked around. "Where are we going?" 

"To let the Maximals find us - of course," Rampage answered casually. 

"Ah, I see," Inferno consented. Then he did see. _"What?!"_

~~*~~

Soaring elegantly along, Silverbolt scanned the ground. Spotting something, he zoomed in on the Transmutate. "Optimus, I have found it!" he declared. "It appears injured. I'm going down." He dived towards the strange being. _If those villains have hurt this poor innocent, they will pay dearly!_ Silverbolt swore to himself. He was never one for mindless violence, but someone attacking a being that was too pure, too innocent to fight back! His mech-fluids boiled in outrage. 

He landed, holding a hand out in a gesture of peace. "Do not be afraid. I have come to help you." 

She looked almost apathetically at the Maximal before looking past him, to the large boulder near the gorge's wall. Silverbolt spun to see Rampage appear from behind it, aiming his shotgun at the fuzor. A "Raagh!" from another direction claimed Silverbolt's attention, and he gaped in shock, utterly unprepared, as Inferno fired two plasma bombs from his perch, upon a pillar of rock. Rampage, too, began firing. Caught in the crossfire, the lone Maximal could do little more than attempt to shield himself with his arms. Easily overcoming this meagre defence, the shots knocked him out, and he barely managed to gasp out, "Why...?" at Transmutate, looking on, as she was, in surprise. 

Silverbolt regained consciousness, but his head still blurry, he could hardly distinguish one thing from the next. He clenched his optics shut, groaning softly. 

Inferno looked disdainfully at the wolf. "We'll keep the head for the Royalty." While lowering his arm from the mechanical salute, he turned to the chaotic transformer. "Transmutate," she looked at him, "destroy the rest." 

She hesitated, biting her lip. 

"You must do it, my friend," Rampage told her, stepping closer. "Channel your pain at him! Then - release it." There was almost a gleeful tone in his voice. 

Transmutate backed away. It was obvious that neither the ant, nor her dark friend liked her good friend; but _she_ liked him... Looking down at the prostate form, she could not bring herself to destroy him. 

Inferno roughly pushed her aside. "The Royalty was right! It is useless!" He aimed his weapon at Silverbolt. 

Transmutate's optics narrowed, and she straightened. The ant was trying to harm her friend! She opened her mouth and screamed, a beam of sonic energy sending Inferno flying into the distance with a shocked cry. 

Rampage looked at the quickly disappearing insect. "I approve," he chuckled. Then turned to look at Silverbolt. "But this Maximal must still be dealt with. Allow me..." He stepped closer, the intent to rip Silverbolt piece from shiny piece clear. 

"No, allow _me_!" 

Rampage spun, optics wide, only to be knocked into the cliff wall by Optimus, as the transmetal gorilla swooped in, landing and transforming. Looking up, Optimus spotted a boulder over the spot where Rampage was gathering his wits, and, grapping his gun, the Maximal leader easily freed the rock with a blast, burying Rampage. 

If Transmutate had teeth, she would have gritted them. How dared these bad people attack her only friends?! Opening her mouth, she prepared to send Optimus flying as she had Inferno. Optimus stepped back in shock. 

"No, stop!" She obeyed, looking down at Silverbolt who was weakly reaching an imploring hand out to her. "We... are your... friends." He finally gave up, passing out, and the hand fell to the ground. 

Transmutate crouched down, gently taking Silverbolt's limp hand in her own. "Hurt," she said sadly, looking up at Optimus. 

"Yes, he is," Optimus agreed. "Badly. But I can help him. I must get him to the base to get repaired. And you, too." 

She tilted her head at him, but they were both suddenly distracted at Rampage's roar, as he fought desperately to escape the pile. 

Optimus transformed, while Transmutate gently gathered Silverbolt up. "Give him to me," Optimus said, holding out his arms. "I'll fly him to base to be repaired." 

Transmutate brightened. "Fly?" A section of her back opened, and a blue crystal emerged. Still carrying Silverbolt, she rose into the air. "Fly!" 

The blue maximal looked on in pleasant surprise. "Well, isn't that just prime?" He angled his board back and followed. 

"Fly," Transmutate's childish voice drifted towards him. 

As they rapidly disappeared from view, Rampage finally managed to shove the rocks atop him away. "No-o-o!" he roared at the retreating figures. "_You_ will not have it, Optimus! The darkness of its spark echoes my own - it belongs with me-e-e-e!" 

~~*~~

Dusk descended over the Axalon. Inside, Transmutate stood still on the scanning platform as beams of light played over her chaotic body. With a faint _beep_ the light disappeared. She looked down at Rhinox who met her eyes. 

"That will do," he said slowly, clearly, gesturing her down. "For now." Taking that as her cue, the strange robot went over to the other Maximals. Rhinox looked after her with a sigh, before meeting Optimus' questioning eyes. The inventor sadly shook his head in answer. 

A bit away, Rattrap was happily chatting to Cheetor. "Eh, wonder what Fearless Leader found out about the fireplug?" He chuckled a bit at his own joke. 

For a moment Cheetor almost joined him, but his face fell quickly, and with a pointed look, he gestured behind the rodent. "Uh, ratface..." 

Rattrap turned to find himself face to face with Transmutate. "Eheh, no offence," he quickly amended. "Whatever you are." 

Silverbolt joined Optimus and Rhinox at the console. "What did the tests show?" 

Optimus took a deep, frustrated breath. "Well, its data tracks are scrambled beyond recovery, its structure is a nightmare and its logic circuits are barely at the level of a drone. Coupled with its sheer power, it's a danger to itself and everyone around it." 

"Best thing for us all would be to put it in stasis lock," Rhinox continued, "immediately." 

Transmutate glanced down at herself, before sadly wandering off, into the bowels of the ship. 

Silverbolt stared at them in shock, suddenly frowning angrily. _They do not even see?_ "Are we Predacons now?" he demanded harshly. "Do we... destroy whatever does not fit our definition of _perfection_?!" 

Transmutate didn't hear her friend stand up for her, as she curiously paced through the halls and rooms of the Axalon. However, one voice did break her lonely walk. 

_"Transmutate."_ She gasped. Her other friend! Going by instinct alone, she reached up and pressed a tiny button on the side of her head. The voice continued. _"It is me, your friend. I'm very near."_ Rampage was, indeed, very near. Just far enough away to avoid the Axalon's scanners he stood, gesturing for Transmutate, though she could not see him. "Follow my signal," he cooed softly. "Come to me. Come..." 

Inside the ship, Transmutate looked up, a smile tugging at her awkward lips. "Fly!" she demanded; and she rose, crashing through the metal and into the darkening sky. 

Inside the main control room, lights and klaxons went off. "Alert!" the computer called. "Hull breach in section seven!" 

Twirling his finger at his temple, Rattrap grinned, "Well! Eh, looks like nutty erector set took a walk!" He quickly shut up, however, as Silverbolt spun furiously, glaring at him. 

"Fool!" the fuzor snarled. Then he looked around at the other Maximals. "Ohh, you're _all_ fools!" Turning towards the same exit Transmutate had used, he stomped out. 

"Silverbolt, wait!" Optimus called, but in vain. The Maximal leader shook his head with a sigh. "Maybe it's better if he cools off." He suddenly looked up, all business. "But I want Transmutate found. Let's move it!" 

~~*~~

Transmutate serenely soared to the rocky rise some ways from the Axalon. Landing with a bump, she looked around. Her query emerged from behind a boulder. 

"I knew you wouldn't fail me," Rampage told her, hurrying towards her. "We are two of a kind. We belong together." He reached out his hand, and she moved to take it. 

"Stop!" Rampage whirled to face Silverbolt, who stood, fist on hip, scowling at the Predacon. Swinging his hand in a motion of denial, he declared, "This one is _not_ for you!" 

Roaring with anger, Rampage raised his clenched fists. "It is _only_ for me!" 

Silverbolt somersaulted over Rampage's head as the giant pulverised the ground he'd stood on, moments before. Landing in a crouch next to Transmutate, the fuzor threw her a quick glance to make sure she was well before charging towards the crab. It was all for naught, though, as Rampage simply knocked Silverbolt away, and with a gleefully sadistic laugh, dealt him a viscous uppercut. Silverbolt howled and slid along the ground, coming to a rest on the edge of a drop. Dazed, he looked quickly over his shoulder at the ground far below. Rampage reclaimed his attention, rising a giant, clawed foot and bringing it down towards Silverbolt's head. The Maximal blocked it and strained furiously to hold it back. 

Transmutate could only look upon in mute horror as her two friends clashed. Raising her only hand to her face in an expression of distress, she bit back a whimper. She couldn't hurt either of them; she couldn't stop them. 

Using his last burst of strength, Silverbolt managed to flip Rampage over the edge. Silverbolt didn't get the chance to celebrate, though. Rampage grabbed hold of his wing, dragging him along. About halfway down they hit an outcropping, and Rampage was forced to let go as they were thrown in two different directions. When they reached ground, they both lay still for a moment, trying to regain their bearings. Rampage was the first to recover, wobbling to his feet and pulling his missile launcher. 

Above them, Transmutate looked from Maximal to Predacon and back again. She noticed Silverbolt still on the ground. "No," she said softly, holding up her hand. "Hurt." Of course Rampage didn't hear her, and she activated her flight crystal and slowly descended. 

Silverbolt looked up, spotting something coming towards them, but his shaken mind didn't allow him to truly identify it. Instead, he focused on much more pressing matters; such as Rampage aiming his launcher at Silverbolt. 

"Time to go back to the Matrix, hero!" the transmetal growled, sending three missiles towards the fuzor. 

Silverbolt arched his back, angled his wings and sent off two missiles of his own. The weapons whistled towards each other, when a flickering light made both transformers look up. 

Transmutate, a sphere of purple energy about her form, dropped down between the five missiles. "No!" she pleaded. 

Realisation dawned on both Cybertronians at the same time. 

"Primus, no!" Silverbolt shouted, raising his hand in a warning he knew to be too late. 

_"Transmutate!"_ Rampage cried in agonised desperation. 

"Stop!" Transmutate demanded, energy starting to crackle dangerously over her body. "Stop! _Sto-o-o-o-a-A-I-I-I-I-I-I-GH!_" She could maintain the field no longer. The missiles detonated, engulfing her in flames. The shock wave ripped over the landscape, fading away mere moments later, giving way to a purple powder, Transmutate's very life-force, falling gently from the sky. 

Silverbolt uncovered his eyes, looking in horror at the tableau before him. 

Completely torn apart, Transmutate lay spread everywhere, some parts still burning. Her head, laying askew, slowly opened the optics. She looked towards Silverbolt, saying simply "Friend... good..." Dredging up a last ounce of strength through the cable, still connected to her torso, she managed to turn and look the other way, at Rampage, as he reached down to hold her. "Friend... dark..." He gently picked her up, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I," she whispered, "am," she stuttered, "hurt," she finished, as her optics closed forever. 

Rampage threw back his head and howled in grief, Silverbolt standing by in silent shock. As the echoes of Rampage's mourning faded away, the sound of jets became apparent. Optimus and Cheetor transformed and landed by Silverbolt. 

Optimus put a hand on the fuzor's shoulder. "I'm sorry." 

"It's over; it's gone," Silverbolt spoke in a near-whisper. "We extinguished its life before we ever saw its true light." He shook his head in self-loathing grief. 

"You better return to base," Optimus told him quietly. His voice gaining an edge and his eyes narrowing, he turned to look at the nearby Predacon. "Cheetor and I will take care of Rampage." 

"No." Silverbolt halted them with a movement that was almost over before it had begun. "We'll let him be. For the moment," he raised his eyes to look at the titan, "we are brothers." 

And Rampage, oblivious, stared at the closed and darkened optics of what could have been his saviour, even as the remnants of her life fell like snow around them both. 

**Fin**


End file.
